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Thursday, 26 August 2010

What a tour! We set off to KCI Festival bright and early on Thurs 12th, with great excitement. Our Agility holiday about to start, Lilys first shows at Grade 6 and the team final to end the week.KCI was amazing again. Miles to walk to the rings from the caravan, but a great show and so interesting watching all those foreign handlers. So many different moves and some awesome dogs. Lily had some amazing bits of runs, seeing things like a table in the ring (never practiced that!!) and tunnels under dogwalks, missing out jumps, going behind jumps but coped really well and although lots of E's I took something positive from every run. Olli was a star, really getting his contacts now but had a run of 5 faults in agility. He did however get 3 clears in Jumping, all just out of the placings, but 300 dogs in a class and he is the only Spaniel in large amongst a world of Collies!

Lily then pulled out all the stops and on Sunday we had our first clear in Grade 6 jumping! I leapt into the air, screamed and then cried. I was so thrilled, and it was also special as it was on Mark Lakers course (one of my fave judges and a friend) so I was glad he was there to see it. She then went on to get another in Andy Sandercocks course and this time was placed 16th. 295 dogs in the class.

Mad eyes!

Monday Morning we left Northampton and set off to Dogs in Need in Ipswich. A good journey taking just 2 hours, and when we arrived we set up camp next to Lolly, Claire and Chel and settled in for a relaxing few days. It was great fun as always. I made some silly mistakes with Olli, totally letting him down but we had a laugh and he did some cracking contacts. Lily tried her best again, and I was growing to enjoy the tricky courses, and on the 2nd day we had another clear in Jumping, this time a top ten place!! 8th for Lily and I was thrilled with her confidence. We all got together on the Tuesday night for Bingo, and Fern won £100!!! Lunch was on her on Wednesday! Good giggle that Bingo, and its so good to be with a bunch of friends.Thursday sadly we had to pack up and drive to Tattenhall in Cheshire to Dashing Dogs show. Originally we were due to be in the Team Dash final but unfortunately our team mates had to cancel their week due to suspected Kennel cough, however we couldn't stay at DIN so Tattenhall we went. The first eve was scarily stormy. Gales, rain and thunder, but it slightly improved for the first day. Olli managed 15th in the jumping with Fern, Lily and I were E'd in both our jumping runs. Horrible tricky courses and we just haven't got the experience yet.Saturday and Olli had a 9th with me in the jumping and Lily finally got her first Agility clear. 6th place , less than a second behind first and beating some very experienced dogs and handlers. I was thrilled. She finished the weekend on Sunday with another clear, this time 8th. 2 clears in Grade 6 Agility and both top ten. She really does continue to amaze me. Olli had a great 18th place with Fern and we left the show on 4pm Sunday. 9.15pm we pulled in our drive. Knackered, hungry and 806 miles from when we started 10 days previous. A wicked time, not always the best weather but some great results with both dogs, some good laughs and a lot of happy memories. I have already booked the week off for 2011!! Who knows, we may then be running Cove, Dave and Twiggy too!!!

Now we just have to concentrate on the Olympia semi finals next week. Very scary but very exciting. Can Lily and me get to Olympia??

Monday, 9 August 2010

Finally this afternoon I brought Mum home from Hospital. She was weary and a bit emotional but glad to be home, and we are certainly glad she is home.
After the past 3 weeks I for one have never been more in need of a holiday, and perfect timing we are off to Northampton on Thursday to start 11 days of competitions with the dogs. KCI Festival and my first Grade 6 show with Lily to start, then on Monday off to Dogs in Need, and then the following Thursday we have to travel back across the country to Dashing Dogs as we qualified for the team finals! 900 miles, 3 competitions, setting up camp and dismantling it 3 times.............and thats a holiday??

Its my sort of holiday. Rog, Fern & Luke, and 7 of the best dogs in the world, chilling out, laughing a lot and with a lot of good friends around too. I am also excited about trying out grade 6 courses with Lily. It will be interesting and challenging and as she finished her Grade 5 run with a 3rd & a 4th at Chippenham champ show last weekend, who knows what will happen.

Thursday, 5 August 2010

Sorry but I haven't got the time to scratch my proverbial at the moment. Mum still in hospital, work is busy as ever, and I feel about 80 at the moment, but just to say that on top of Lily going to Grade 6 2 weeks ago, she won the Novice Qualifier at Agility Club show last weekend and has qualified for the Olympia Semi finals in Birmingham.
In amongst all the madness, my dogs chill me out and make me smile and laugh constantly. Lily is amazing and I love her to bits, Olli is also stunningly lovely and doing so well, (7th in the same qualifier!), Twiggy is irresistible and I cant remember what it was like without her, as she continues to amaze me with her fun, happy, cheeky, bright nature and total devotion to me, Cove is continuing to be THE nicest Collie boy ever, extremely loving, kind, talented and Fern has lots to look forward to with him, and even Dave is looking like at nearly 2 yrs old he may be ready to try competing.
Becki & Stan are still the loveliest dogs, at 13 yrs old each, and both being rescues they have adapted to the madness of agility life brilliantly, and the Feroda camp wouldn't be the same without them.
Thank you dogs :-)